Modular miniature unmanned aircraft with vectored thrust control

• US 8,721,383 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2009
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Woodworth, Adam, Suarez, Brandon
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Tien
• Assistant Examiner(s): KREINER, MICHAEL B
• Application Number:
  US12/556,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20110057074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• Field of Search: 244/12.4, 244/17.23, 244/17.25, 244/7.R, 244/7.A, 244/7.C, 244/56, 244/51, 244/190, 446/58, 446/6, 446/57, 446/92, 446/93, 310/40.MM
• US Class Current: 446/6
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 15/00 Attitude, flight direction, or altitude control by jet reaction
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2211/00 Modular constructions of airplanes or helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0033 the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/60 Take-off or landing of UAVs from a runway using their own power
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence

Abstract

An aircraft for unmanned aviation is described. The aircraft includes an airframe, a pair of fins attached to a rear portion of the airframe, a pair of dihedral braces attached to a bottom portion of the airframe, a first thrust vectoring module and a second thrust vectoring module, and an electronics module. The electronics module provides commands to the two thrust vectoring modules. The two thrust vectoring modules are configured to provide lateral and longitudinal control to the aircraft by directly controlling a thrust vector for each of the pitch, the roll, and the yaw of the aircraft. The use of directly articulated electrical motors as thrust vectoring modules enables the aircraft to execute tight-radius turns over a wide range of airspeeds.

Claims

1. An aircraft for unmanned aviation, comprising:

an airframe having a fixed wing attached thereto;

a plurality of fins attached to a rear portion of the airframe;

at least a first thrust vectoring module and a second thrust vectoring module, the at least two thrust vectoring modules being configured to (i) provide lateral and longitudinal control to the aircraft by directly controlling a thrust vector, and (ii) to independently control pitch, roll, and yaw of the aircraft, each of the at least two thrust vectoring modules is attached to the fixed wing by an integrated non-destructive breakaway mount, each thrust vectoring module being independently articulable with respect to a portion of the fixed wing to which it is attached; and

an electronics module configured to provide commands to the at least two thrust vectoring modules, wherein the breakaway mount is capable of breaking away upon impact.

2. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein each of the at least two thrust vectoring modules comprises a directly articulated electrical motor.

3. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the airframe is disposable and foldable into a compact, stowable configuration.

4. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the aircraft is configured for executing a turn having a radius of less than or equal to one wing span over a range of airspeeds from zero to a maximum speed of the aircraft.

5. The aircraft of claim 4, wherein the aircraft is further configured for executing a turn having a radius of less than or equal to one wing span while in a post-stall condition.

6. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the airframe comprises a mission-specific airframe.

7. The aircraft of claim 6, wherein the airframe further comprises a mission-specific airframe based on an atmospheric condition or a weather condition.

8. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the non-destructive breakaway mount comprises a magnetic mount.

9. A control system for controlling a flight path of an unmanned aerial vehicle having an airframe with a fixed wing attached thereto, the system comprising:

at least a first thrust vectoring module and a second thrust vectoring module, the at least two thrust vectoring modules being configured to (i) provide lateral and longitudinal control to the vehicle by directly controlling a thrust vector, and (ii) to independently control pitch, roll, and yaw of the aircraft, each of the at least two thrust vectoring modules is attached to the fixed wing by an integrated non-destructive breakaway mount, each thrust vectoring module being independently articulable with respect to a portion of the fixed wing to which it is attached; and

an electronics module configured to provide commands to the at least two thrust vectoring modules based on instructions received from a user of the control system, wherein the breakaway mount is capable of breaking away upon impact.

10. The control system of claim 9, wherein each of the at least two thrust vectoring modules comprises a directly articulated electrical motor.

11. The control system of claim 9, wherein the control system is configured for enabling the vehicle to execute a turn having a radius of less than or equal to one wing span over a range of airspeeds from zero to a maximum speed of the vehicle.

12. The control system of claim 11, wherein the control system is further configured for enabling the vehicle to execute a turn having a radius of less than or equal to one wing span while in a post-stall condition.

13. The control system of claim 9, wherein the non-destructive breakaway mount comprises a magnetic mount.

14. A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle having an airframe with a fixed wing attached thereto, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a control signal to an electronics module, the control signal including instructions for controlling a speed and a direction of the vehicle;

causing the electronics module to provide a command to each of at least a first thrust vectoring module and a second thrust vectoring module;

causing each of the at least first thrust vectoring module and second thrust vectoring module to provide thrust such that the vehicle is laterally and longitudinally controlled, each thrust vectoring module being independently articulable with respect to a portion of the fixed wing to which it is attached; and

using non-destructive breakaway mounts to cause the first and second thrust vectoring modules to break away from the fixed wing upon impact.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of causing each of the at least first and second thrust vectoring modules to provide thrust further includes causing each of the at least first and second thrust vectoring modules to independently control a pitch, a roll, and a yaw of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein each of the at least two thrust vectoring modules comprises a directly articulated electrical motor.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of causing each of the at least first thrust vectoring module and second thrust vectoring module to provide thrust such that the vehicle is laterally and longitudinally controlled further comprises enabling the vehicle to execute a turn having a radius of less than or equal to one wing span over a range of airspeeds from zero to a maximum speed of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of enabling the vehicle to execute tight-radius high-speed turns over a wide range of airspeeds further comprises enabling the vehicle to execute a turn having a radius of less than or equal to one wing span while in a post-stall condition.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the non-destructive breakaway mount comprises a magnetic mount.